Irani cafes: Shared spaces to break down barriers

Shamil Thakrar is one of three owners of London’s beloved Indian restaurants, Dishoom, which pay homage to the Irani cafes of Bombay. By the 1960s, there were more than 400 Irani cafes, which have all but disappeared from the city. Thakar describes how these corner establishments were melting pots for public consumption, where Hindu, Muslim, Farsi, Christian, and Jewish communities could break bread together. To hear Evan Kleiman’s full conversation with Shamil Thakar, visit the Now Serving website.